South Korean Black Berets

Republic of Korea Army Special Forces ‘’Black Berets’’ is the military command of the Korean Army and is responsible for their special operations forces. ROK special forces brigades work tightly with their counterparts in U.S. Army Special Forces ‘’Green Berets’’. They have been active since 1958 and have roughly 10,000 soldiers, garrisoned in Songpa District, Seoul. Their primary roles are very unconventional such as: direct actions, special reconnaissance, information operations, assassinations, guerilla warfare, hostage rescue, counter-terrorism, fire support and underwater demolition.

Since 1993, the South Korean military has trained their operatives by sending them to different institutions and training facilities all over the world, such as Poland, Ireland and Northern Europe United Nations Training Corps. Since 1995 the officers and government officials have been sent to Pearson Peacekeeping Center in Canada. To educate officers, the Joint Services Staff College was created in 1995 to be the lead institution. Later the institution became solely responsible for unit-level education of PKO forces, by giving solid education.

The command includes seven special warfare brigades, which undergo special training courses for counter-terrorist missions. These seven brigades established from 1958 and are under jurisdiction of Special Warfare Command that is created in 1969. Each brigade consists of 600 operatives divided into four battalions, with each having three companies and each company has five teams of 10 operatives.

The ad hoc, all volunteer unit Evergreen trained specifically for worldwide operations, such as overseas deployment and UN Peacekeeping operations. It’s members are from different Korean military, like infantry, combat support, ROK Special Forces or ROK Marine Corps.

In the summer of 1993 the South Korean military deployed Evergreen and participated first time ever in UN Peacekeeping Operations. Over 500 men rotating annually, participated in rebuilding roads and aiding humanitarian assists during the crisis in Somalia. By the end of their mission the Evergreen unit sent 2,700 men and 1,300 parts of equipment, connecting Balad and Zohar, by rebuilt road and worked with the U.S forces in building another road from Balad to Afgoa.

In 1999 UN Secretary General and Australian government requested South Korean government’s help in regarding East Timor’s independence crisis. Later in October of the same year the second Evergreen unit consisting of 419 personnel who is specialized in transportation, medical specialties, supply and communications arrived in Lautem, East Timor. It took six months of serving and protecting security as well as helping in construction and engaging in humanitarian aid, the Evergreen returned to South Korea. In 2002 the battalion was redeployed to the Ouecci to continue serving peacekeeping missions.